🍲 How to Order Food at Korean Restaurants

Visiting Korea and want to enjoy delicious local food without confusion? Whether you're dining in Seoul, Busan, or Jeju, this guide will help you navigate menus and interact confidently with restaurant staff in Korean.

📚 Table of Contents

1. Key Phrases to Know
2. Reading a Korean Menu
3. Dining Etiquette in Korea
4. Example Dialogues
5. Did You Know?
6. Learn Korean with Me
7. Tags

1. Key Phrases to Know

메뉴 주세요. (menyu juseyo) – Please give me the menu.
이거 하나 주세요. (igeo hana juseyo) – One of this, please.
물 주세요. (mul juseyo) – Water, please.
계산이요. (gyesaniyo) – Check, please.

Most restaurants will have both Korean and English menus in tourist areas. But knowing some basic dishes helps!

비빔밥 (bibimbap) – Mixed rice with vegetables
불고기 (bulgogi) – Marinated beef
김치찌개 (kimchi jjigae) – Kimchi stew
삼겹살 (samgyeopsal) – Grilled pork belly

3. Dining Etiquette in Korea

Water and side dishes (banchan) are usually free and refillable.
You don’t tip in Korea—just say thank you: 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida).
Press the call bell if provided or politely raise your hand to get service.

4. Example Dialogues

A: 뭐 드릴까요?
Mwo deurilkkayo?
What would you like to order?

B: 비빔밥 하나 주세요.
Bibimbap hana juseyo.
One bibimbap, please.

5. Did You Know?

🍽️ Korean restaurants often bring all food at once rather than in courses. Also, Korea has over 700,000 restaurants nationwide—meaning you’re never far from something delicious! (Source: Korean Food Promotion Institute)

6. Learn Korean with Me

🎓 Want to practice real conversations like this? Book a Korean lesson with me on italki and become confident in everyday speaking!